Angelonia plant named ‘Balarcaspim’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Angelonia  plant named ‘Balarcaspim’, characterized by its dark lavender-rose colored flowers, dark green-colored foliage, and vigorous, upright growth habit growth habit, is disclosed.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Angeloniaangustifolia.

Variety denomination: ‘Balarcaspim’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofAngelonia plant botanically known as Angelonia angustifolia andhereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Balarcaspim’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Elburn,Ill. during January 2009. The objective of the breeding program was thedevelopment of Angelonia cultivars having large flowers, unique flowercoloration, continuous flowering, and a vigorous, freely branching, andupright to semi-upright growth habit.

The new Angelonia cultivar is the result of cross-pollination. Thefemale (seed) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary Angeloniaangustifolia breeding selection coded 516-3,6-1, not patented,characterized by its dark burgundy-magenta and white bicolored flowers,dark green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, semi-upright growthhabit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietaryAngelonia angustifolia breeding selection coded 573-2, not patented,characterized by its dark violet-colored flowers, dark green-coloredfoliage, and vigorous, upright growth habit. The new cultivar wasdiscovered and selected as a single flowering plant within the progenyof the above stated cross-pollination during November 2009 in acontrolled environment in Elburn, Ill.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings sinceNovember 2009 in West Chicago, Ill. has demonstrated that the newcultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, asherein described, firmly fixed and retained through successivegenerations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedlyobserved and can be used to distinguish ‘Balarcaspim’ as a new anddistinct cultivar of Angelonia plant:

-   -   1. Dark lavender-rose colored flowers;    -   2. Dark green-colored foliage; and    -   3. Vigorous, upright growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parentprimarily in flower color and growth habit and from plants of the maleparent primarily in flower color.

Of the many commercially available Angelonia cultivars, the most similarin comparison to the new cultivar is ARCHANGEL Raspberry ‘Balarcasp’,U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/134,195, now abandoned.However, in side by side comparisons, plants of the new cultivar differfrom plants of ‘Balarcasp’ in at least the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar are shorter than plants of        ‘Balarcasp’;    -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have a slightly darker flower        color than plants of ‘Balarcasp’;    -   3. Plants of the new cultivar have more flowers per        inflorescence than plants of ‘Balarcasp’; and    -   4. Plants of the new cultivar have a smaller flower, as measured        by corolla length and width, than plants of ‘Balarcasp’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typicalflower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in thephotographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detaileddescription, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Balarcaspim’. Theplants were grown in 4-inch pots for 7 weeks in a greenhouse in WestChicago, Ill.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habitof ‘Balarcaspim’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual flower of‘Balarcaspim’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype mayvary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature,light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is TheR.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England,2007 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significanceare used. The color values were determined in April 2012 under naturallight conditions in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants producedfrom cuttings from stock plants and grown in a glass-covered greenhouseunder conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. Theplants were grown in West Chicago, Ill. in 4-inch pots for 7 weeksutilizing a soilless growth medium. Greenhouse temperatures weremaintained at approximately 70° F. to 77° F. (21° C. to 25° C.) duringthe day and approximately 65° F. to 68° F. (18° C. to 20° C.) during thenight. Greenhouse light levels of 2,500 footcandles to 6,000 footcandleswere maintained during the day. Measurements and numerical valuesrepresent averages of typical plants.

-   Botanical classification: Angelonia angustifolia cultivar    Balarcaspim.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary Angelonia angustifolia breeding            selection coded 516-3,6-1, not patented.        -   Male parent.—Proprietary Angelonia angustifolia breeding            selection coded 573-2, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.        -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 7 to 9 days.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 24 to 28            days.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 5 to 8 weeks from a            rooted cutting to finish in a 10 cm pot.        -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Vigorous, upright.        -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:            Approximately 26.4 cm. Width: Approximately 17.4 cm.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branching. Quantity of main branches            per plant: Approximately 4.        -   Branch.—Shape: Square in cross section. Strength: Moderate,            somewhat brittle. Length: Approximately 23.3 cm. Diameter:            Approximately 3.0 mm. Length of central internode:            Approximately 1.4 cm. Texture: Glabrous. Color of young            stem: 144B with an overlay of 187A. Color of mature stem:            144B.-   Foliage description:    -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per main branch:            Approximately 30. Fragrance: None. Form: Simple.            Arrangement: Opposite.        -   Leaves.—Aspect: Perpendicular or obtuse angle to stem.            Shape: Elliptic. Margin: Widely serrate. Apex: Acute. Base:            Sessile. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Length of mature leaf:            Approximately 6.7 cm. Width of mature leaf: Approximately            1.9 cm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous. Color            of upper surface of young foliage: 137A with            indistinguishable venation. Color of lower surface of young            foliage: 138A with midvein of 145B, other venation            indistinguishable. Color of upper surface of mature foliage:            Closest to, but darker than 137A with indistinguishable            venation. Color of lower surface of mature foliage: Closest            to 138A with midvein of 145B, other venation            indistinguishable.-   Flowering description:    -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Balarcaspim’ is freely flowering under            outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous            blooming from spring through autumn and year-round in            greenhouse environment.        -   Lastingness of individual flower on the plant.—Approximately            7 to 10 days.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   General description.—Type: Terminal raceme. Quantity per            plant: Approximately 5. Fragrance: Slight, sweet. Length or            height: Approximately 18.0 cm. Width: Approximately 4.0 cm.            Quantity of fully open flowers per inflorescence:            Approximately 12.-   Flower description:    -   -   Type.—Solitary, zygomorphic.        -   Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 3 to 4 days for bud to            progress from first color to fully open flower.        -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Globular. Length:            Approximately 6.0 mm. Diameter: Approximately 6.0 mm. Color            of upper surface: 186B. Color of lower surface: 144A.        -   Corolla.—Shape: Bilabiate. Aspect: Facing outward. Length:            Approximately 2.6 cm. Width: Approximately 2.3 cm. Depth:            Approximately 7.0 mm.        -   Petals.—Quantity: 5 petals fused at base forming a throat            and consisting of an upper lip with 2 petals and a lower lip            with 3 petals, consisting of 2 lateral petals and one            central petal. Shape: Obovate. Margin: Entire. Apex: Obtuse.        -   Upper lip.—Length of petals from throat: Approximately            9.0 mm. Width of each petal: Approximately 1.1 cm. Texture            of upper surface: Sparsely glandular pubescent. Gland color:            145B, transparent. Texture of lower surface: Glabrous. Color            of upper surface when fully open: 72B to 72A. Color of lower            surface when fully open: 77B to 77A.        -   Lower lip, lateral petals.—Length of petals from throat:            Approximately 1.1 cm. Width of each petal: Approximately            1.2 cm. Texture of upper surface: Sparsely glandular            pubescent. Texture of lower surface: Densely glandular            pubescent. Gland color: 145B, transparent. Color of upper            surface when fully open: 72B to 72A. Color of lower surface            when fully open: 77B to 77A.        -   Lower lip, central petal.—Length from the palate:            Approximately 8.0 mm. Width: Approximately 1.0 cm. Texture            of upper surface: Sparsely glandular pubescent. Texture of            lower surface: Densely glandular pubescent. Gland color:            145B, transparent. Color of upper surface when fully open:            72B to 72A. Color of lower surface when fully open: 77B to            77A.        -   Throat.—Length: Approximately 1.0 cm. Width: Approximately:            6.0 mm. Texture of inner surface: Sparsely glandular            pubescent. Gland color: Mixture of colorless and 145B,            transparent. Texture of outer surface: Glabrous. Color of            inner surface: 145B and 77D with spots of N79A. Color of            outer surface: 77A. Palate color: 145B with spots of N79A.            Palate texture: Glabrous. Teeth color: 145B with spots of            N79A.        -   Calyx.—Shape: Star, cupped. Diameter: Approximately 6.0 mm.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: 5, fused at base. Shape:            Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Length: Approximately 4.0 mm.            Width: Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture of upper surface:            Glabrous. Texture of lower surface: Sparsely glandular            pubescent. Gland color: Colorless, transparent. Color of            upper surface: N137A. Color of lower surface: N137A with a            heavy overlay of N186A.        -   Pedicel.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Acute angle to stem.            Length: Approximately 1.5 cm. Diameter: Approximately            1.0 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color: 144A with an overlay of            187A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity: 4 per            flower. Filament length: Approximately 3.0 mm. Filament            color: NN155B with an overlay of 77B, opaque. Sparsely            glandular pubescent. Gland color: Colorless, transparent.            Anther shape: Bilobed. Anther length: Approximately 1.0 mm.            Anther color: 72B, darkens to 79A with age. Pollen amount:            Moderate. Pollen color: 155D. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: 1            per flower. Pistil length: Approximately 4.0 mm. Stigma            shape: Pointed. Stigma length: Less than 1.0 mm. Stigma            color: NN155D, opaque. Style length: Approximately 3.0 mm.            Style color: NN155D with faint streaks of 77B near stigma,            opaque. Ovary diameter: Approximately 1.0 mm. Ovary texture:            Glabrous. Ovary color: 145A.-   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has    been observed.-   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests    common to Angelonia has not been observed.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Angelonia plant named ‘Balarcaspim’, substantially as herein shown and described. 